Abstract:
Cave ecosystems are characterized by lack oflight and, as a result, dependence on connectivity to the surface or internal microbial production for energy supply. Caves are actually part of a larger karst ecosystem that is the entire drainage basin through which moves water, energy and matter. Within these karst ecosystems lie a diversity of habitats and organisms that can differ substantially, yet are highly interconnected and interdependent. While often thought of as stable, karst ecosystems are extremely dynamic and subject to natural and human-imposed disturbance.